The manifestation of Kauthar

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah gave Jesus (as) unusual blessings. For example Jesus (as) was able to bring back to life some birds by blowing on its remnants. He once cured someone who had leprosy. Allah gave Moses (as) some unusual blessings in that when he threw the staff it turned into a serpent and swallowed the ones produced by the magicians. Allah fed his followers for 40 years. Moses (as) was able to cross the Red Sea. Allah allowed Jonah (as) to live in the whale’s belly for 3 days and when he came out and he was able to function as usual. So Allah gave all His Messengers (pbot) unique blessings. What did He give Prophet Muhammad (pboh)?

The first thing that might come to mind is the Holy Qur’an. True the Qur’an is indeed a great blessing and miracle but what other blessing was he given. The answer is Kauthar. Kauthar is normally translated as a fountain in Paradise which the inhabitants of Paradise will be given to drink from. But will the believers only get this blessing in the hereafter? Kauthar is more than just a fountain.

Allah gave Prophet (pboh) Kauthar. This means that generosity constantly flows from his blessed personality. And Kauthar is not just reserved for the hereafter. This generosity started the day Prophet came on the earth. And Allah demonstrates this in his seerah.

His journey in this world began with an extremely the poor woman who was given charge to take care of him as an infant. And immediately blessings began flowing from his personality. On the journey back Halima was able to produce enough milk to suckle both her baby and Muhammad (pboh). Something that she was unable to do previously. Her lame camel also started producing milk. Back at her home her pastures were the most fertile. So immediately Kauthar began flowing from his personality to those who were connected to him.

Even today the generosity flows from his blessed personality continues. For example if you were to visit Madinah you would see the physical manifestation of his generosity. Every week accommodations are made for those who keep the optional fast to break their fast in Masjid Nabawi. Hundreds of thousands of believers benefit on a weekly basis.

And we who are thousands of miles away from his resting place can benefit from his generosity if we can connect to him. How can this be done? Through the institution of Darood. The popular Qaseeda har dard a ki dawaa hai emphasizes this point.

Har dard a ki dawaa hai sallay allaa Muhammad
Taweez a har balaa hai salay alla Mugammad

Darood is a positive cure for all aliments. Peace and blessings be on Muhammad

On what authority was this poet able to write that? We find the answer in the ahadith;

Ubai bin Ka’ab (ra) narrates; ‘I said, O Messenger of Allah, I supplicate often, so how much of my supplication should I devote to you? He replied, as you desire. I said, a quarter of it? He said as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you. I said, half of it? He said, as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you. I said two-thirds of it? He said again, as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you. Finally I said, and if I dedicate my supplication in its entirety to you? He said, then your needs will be satisfied, and your sins forgiven’.

If you were to say ‘O Allah bless Muhammad ’ all your difficulties can become easy through the permission of Allah . This is what Kauthar is. By connecting to the personality of Prophet you are sharing in the generosity and blessings that Allah was given him.

Allah is constantly sending blessing to mankind though the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). And if you avail yourself won’t you share in this blessing?

Some of you may be apprehensive and my advice to you is to simply try it. Allah will try you, that is guaranteed. But if you recite darood Allah will provide a way out of your hardships. Perhaps this is why Allah says;

‘Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them an apostle from among themselves’. (3:164)

Which has more blessings; a fountain situated in Paradise or the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Strengthen your relationship with him and you will never regret it. Especially as we are in this blessed month of Rabi ul Awwal, where Allah manifested something of His Generosity by sending the greatest creature ever created with Kautar. The love that Allah has allocated for Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is unbelievable and if you connect to him you will also be able to share in the blessings that are being constantly sent upon him. Silently program yourself to engage in as much darood as possibly and put your faith and trust in Allah .

We thank Allah immensely that we are in the companionship of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) and we beg Him to grant us the ability and desire to send abundant salutations on His Beloved .

Text of lecture given by Dr. Waffie at the Penal Rock Road Masjid On the auspicious occasion of Meelad Un Nabi (04.02.2012)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

با سمه يا الله
اللهم صل علي محمد النبي الامي

My dear brothers and sisters; congratulation on you all for recognizing the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) by your assembling here tonight. I pray that Allah blesses us all immensely for associating ourselves with the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) and may He cause us all to rise with the righteous on the Day of Accountability.

Brothers and sisters Allah surprised the angels when He informed them that He made man His representative on earth. Why, because this representative was a small piece of clay. The Greatness of Allah is not known to anyone. He is so Great and Mighty. His Capacity is limitless so how can a tiny piece of clay represent Him? Allah then gave the angels a little consolation by permitting Adam to demonstrate things that they couldn’t do.

We are all gathered here to celebrate the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). In so many qaseedas the poets write so many beautiful things concerning him. Before we proceed I want to advise you not to get involved with those who constantly argue ‘haram, bi’dah, shirk’. Allah knows your intention. We worship Allah and also aim to get close to Prophet (pboh) and if you keep this in mind don’t worry about what the detractors say, because it is only Allah who can judge your intention.

With the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) the term ‘Sunnah’ became popularized. What is the Sunnah of Prophet (pboh)? It encompasses his sayings, his actions and those things he gave consent to. The term Sunnah was not coined by him though, but by Allah. The Sunnah of Allah is those things that He engages in such as rewarding the His obedient servants. And Allah will never change his Sunnah.

Allah sent 124,000 Messengers on earth. So many generation of mankind came and went. But none of them had the capacity to manifest the Sunnah of Allah except Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Allah gave him unimaginable capabilities.

One of Allah’s Sunnah which we uphold is to send salaam on Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Allah says
“Verily Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! send ye blessings on him, and salute Him with all respect.” (33:56)

By sending salaam you are connecting yourself to the special blessing that Allah is sending upon Prophet Muhammad (pboh). And Allah out of His love for us allows us to benefit from the blessing being sent to Prophet (pboh) through the institution of Darood.

There is no doubt that Allah loves each and every one of you. Prophet Muhammad (pboh) once saw a mother being most loving to her baby. Upon seeing this Prophet Muhammad (pboh) told his companions “Allah loves his servants more than this mother loves her baby.”

Today unfortunately Satan is using the institution of sending salaams on Prophet Muhammad (pboh) to cause division amongst the Muslims. There are those who argue against respectively standing to honour Prophet (pboh). Let me ask you all a question; when Allah says that He and His angels are sending salutations upon Muhammad (pboh) are they standing or sitting?

We don’t know so please don’t make this an issue. If you want to stand and sing the praises of Prophet (pboh) do so and pay no heed to those who argue about it. Send as much salutations upon your beloved Messenger (pboh). That will serve you better in the long run rather than arguing.

The other Sunnah of Allah that we are fortunate to engage in is the recitation of His Glorious Words. Hazrat Imam Ghazali (ra) wrote;
‘Fifty thousand years before creation, Allah use to recite Surah Thaahaa and Surah Yaasiin’.

If Allah recited parts of the Qur’an then and we recite it are we not following the Sunnah of Allah? He has blessed us with this great blessing; something which no other creature possesses. This piece of clay has the capacity to recite Allah’s Words. The same Words that if it was to be revealed upon a mountain will cause it to crumble to dust.

As Allah says if He wants anything to be done, regardless of the magnitude, all He has to say is Qun - Be. The sheer power of Qun and it is mentioned so many times in the Qur’an. And the heart of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was able to able to receive this great Book. When the Qur’an was taken out of Lawh Mahfuth it was impressed in the heart of Prophet (pboh). There was no interference or tampering with it. You may ask if the Qur’an was in Prophet’s (pboh) heart why didn’t he tell the people. Why did he have to wait on angel Gabriel? The reason of this was that Prophet (pboh) never said anything out of his own desire. Everything he said was on the basis of Divine ordination. So dedicated and submissive he was. Can you imagine his personality? This is why Allah says

“Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them an apostle from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error” (3:164)

My brothers and sisters when you leave this world as a believer you will go to Paradise insha Allah and leave all your troubles and difficulties behind. So believers shouldn’t be downhearted about death. To me however I’ve come to realized that when I die I wouldn’t have the opportunity to recite the Worlds of Allah in total mind, body and soul. I only possess the capability of reciting the Holy Qur’an in total personality in this world.

We are here for a special purpose; to thank our Lord for sending this great Messenger (pboh). If we can get close to him the better it would be for us. And the only way we can get close to him is by loving him. And in connection to this he says

He is not a true believer until he loves me more than his father, his children and mankind at large.

On this auspicious occasion of Meelad Un Nabi ask yourself how much of the Sunnah of Allah am I upholding and how close am I to Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Just now you will die and one of the questions you will be asked in the grave is “Who is that man”? Ask yourself now how will I be able to recognize the Messenger of Allah (pboh) if I’m not close to him.

Try your best in this world to see him. He is reported to have said ‘whosoever sees me in a dream has really seen me as Satan cannot copy my form’. And there is another narration from the Masheikhs that whoever sees Muhammad (saw) will not go to hell.

Thank Allah for this opportunity to assemble and honour the Beloved of Allah (pboh). But remember one day we will leave this world and our bodies will become food for worms. Make amends now and strengthen your relationship with Allah and His Messenger (pboh).


O Allah, convey blessings and peace always and forever
upon Your Beloved (pboh), the best out of all of Creation.

Loving that which Allah Loves

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah says in His Holy Words;

‘Those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah’. (2:165)

Who could be more of a true believer than Prophet Muhammad (pboh)? He is that one who ascended above all creation and was alone with his Lord.

Allah is Al Ghani- The Most Generous. He is reported to have said in a Hadith Qudsi,

“And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed”.

Allah out of His Love can bestow on anyone more than that person can possibly imagine. And if Allah says that those who posses’ true faith are overflowing in their love for Him you can imagine the relationship that He has with and Prophet .

The Words of Allah was preserved in Lawh Mahfuth. Thereafter it was taken out and was impressed in the heart of Prophet (pboh). There was no interference or tampering with it. Some people argue that if the Qur’an was in Prophet’s (pboh) heart why didn’t he tell the people? Why did he have to wait on angel Gabriel? The reason of this was that Prophet (pboh) never said anything out of his own desire. Even when he knew what was being revealed.

So dedicated and submissive he was that he is referred to as the slave of Allah . A slave is someone who doesn’t have the authority to say ‘I’. He doesn’t own his personality. Look at the status he has achieved because of the overflowing love he has for Allah . And this is what we need to develop; how to love Allah and how to dedicate ourselves to Him. And the only way to truly learn this is to get close to Prophet’s (pboh) personality. The closer you get the more chance you have to elevate yourself to your Lord.

In fact Prophet Muhammad is Sirat al Mustaqim. He is that one who can take you to Allah . He is the embodiment of physical love and if we should follow him, insha Allah, we will get closer to Allah . As Allah says in His Holy Words;

Say O Muhammad: “If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful”. (3:31)

Unfortunately there are some who discourage others of getting close to Prophet (pboh). Don’t pay any heed to them, as arguments surrounding the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) have been around for centuries and your input won’t lead to anything productive. Ignore them and silently carry on.

Demonstrate love for Allah by loving that which Allah loves. And there is no doubt that Allah loves His Messenger (pboh). And if Allah loves him so much what about us?

Keep in mind that our mission is to love Prophet Muhammad (pboh) and if we love him and follow him we would be on the right part. Make this resolution in this blessed month of Rabi ul Awwal and you won’t be left unrewarded. Anything you do for Prophet Muhammad (pboh) will bring always being reward.

May Allah enable us to recognize the greatness of Prophet (pboh) and allow us to get as close to him as humanly possible.

Honouring Prophet Muhammad

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

We are in the blessed month of Rabi-ul-Awwal and we pray that Allah’s blessings be upon all the believers and upon those who are aspiring to get close to Prophet Muhammad (pboh).

We are required as Muslims to honour and praise Prophet (pboh). Some people say we should only praise Allah. However whenever we praise Prophet Muhammad (pboh)we don’t do it in the same manner that we praise Allah . We praise Prophet (pboh) for the good that he has done and for the status that Allah has given him.

We have to show the greatest amount of love and respect for Prophet (pboh). The only being that we are to love and respect more is Allah, but Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is that material personality that we are to love. Love him, honour him and try to attach yourself to him. The closer you get to him the better it will be for you.

We can express love through our words, deeds and our attitude (i.e. following his Sunnah). A lot of people emphasise on the latter. But honouring him is more than just following his Sunnah. Even Allah expresses fondness of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) by calling him beautiful names in the Qur’an. For example a lot of scholars and even in some English translations of the Qur’an you will see that the words Ya-seen and Ta-Ha are pet names that Allah uses to address Prophet Muhammad (pboh).

Allah also warns us about our attitude towards His Habeed .

‘O ye who believe! raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as ye may speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become vain and ye perceive not’. (49:2)

One little form of disrespect towards him can cause all your deeds to become null and void. So our attitude towards him is unique.

We even remember him in our salaat. Whenever we are worshipping Allah we do not ‘sidestep’ Prophet Muhammad (pboh). For example in salaat after we praise and glorify Allah we send salutations upon Prophet (pboh). Why do we do this? We are keeping in mind that if it wasn’t for him we would not be in this honourable position.

Nowadays we hear a lot talk of ‘haram, bid’ah, shirk’; criticizing and condemning those who chose to honour Prophet by holding gatherings and singing his praises. Firstly, those who hold gatherings misrepresent it by calling it Prophet’s (pboh) birthday celebrations. We remember and honour him throughout the year and not specifically in Rabi-ul-Awwal, so calling it his birthday celebration may not be a true representation.

Some people ‘celebrate’ his birthday ritually. This is wrong as their intention may not be to learn about him and get closer to him; but rather, to show others who hold a different theological view that ‘this is what we were taught and are accustomed to doing’.

Singing poems or qaseedas, as it is known in these parts, is something that is also condemned. This isn’t wrong as we see from his Seerah there were Companions who composed beautiful poems about him. From the very beginning of his mission in Madinah, the young girls of the Ansars stood up and sang for him. Kab recited a beautiful poem when he accepted Islam. No one objected, and there are numerous other examples too lengthy to mention here.

The principle of reciting poems isn’t a bid’ah. But to gather only for events like these and no other time is what those who disagree with it have some reservations.

Tazeem is another controversial issue. Those against it argue that standing and praising the Prophet (pboh) is equivalent to worshipping him. When Allah says that He and His angels are sending salaams on Prophet(pboh) are they standing or sitting? No one knows, so why make it an issue and divide the Muslim community. Tazeem is a form of darood and Hazrat Umar (ra) narrated ‘Verily, the Dua remains suspended between the skies and the earth, and does not help in any way until Darood is sent to the Prophet (pboh). (Tirmizi)

The reason for mentioning and clarifying all these age old issues is that in this particular month you will find a lot of Masjids holding their Melad un Nabi functions. If you choose to attend there is no problem because you will in no way bring any sin on yourselves. And you will be hearing sermons expounding on the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). These functions are means by which you can attain closeness to Prophet and also interact with your fellow Muslims.

It is indeed unfortunate that those who criticize and condemn our functions has never come up with an alternative. So where do they expect Muslims, especially the youths, to interact in a halal environment? This is why we see unfortunately, so many youths getting mixed up in un-Islamic environments.

Develop love for Prophet (pboh) and show your love for him by following his teachings. Do not get involve in of the arguments that are out there. These arguments have been going on for decades and sadly it appears that it would continue.

The past scholars demonstrated great love and admiration for Prophet (pboh). And they were scholars of the highest order. Do you think that they would have misled the people of their time?

If you want to attain success in this world and the next, cultivate love for Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Learn to love him and insha Allah you will better off.

Hablullah: Issue #8

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

The latest issue of Hablullah is out now.

(Click on the page to enlarge & save)



Hablullah Issue #8_front




Hablullah Issue #8_back

The Mercy to the Worlds

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

As we have said on numerous occasions before, the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is indeed very special. There will never be anyone or anything like him in this universe. Allah created him unique and special for many reasons. One such quality that makes him absolutely unique is recorded in Surah Anbiyaa;

‘We sent thee not (O Muhammad), but as a mercy to the worlds’. (21:107)

Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is the only personality about whom Allah mentions in the Qur’an as Rahmatul Lil Alameen – a mercy to the worlds.

We know that our universe contains many worlds and there are multiple galaxies that contain many planets. What then does Allah mean when He says that Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds? In order to understand this we must first look at the very source of mercy. Allah says about Himself;

Say: “To Allah. He hath inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy”. (6:12)

So it means then that the quality of mercy and compassion is something very special. And if Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was sent to be the recipient and the physical representation of the manifestation of mercy then there must also be something special about him. Of course Allah knows why He sent him, but we can deduce something from events, incidents and matters to demonstrate his greatness.

We know that Allah says that if He was to cause the Qur’an to descend on a mountain top the mountain would be reduced to rubble. So, no creature in this universe was capable of receiving the Qur’an except Prophet (pboh). This was evident when Allah took the Qur’an out of Lawh Mahfuz and caused it to be placed in the heart of Prophet (pboh). His heart was the recipient of this great Book.

Before his physical coming, only Allah knew the Qur’an. Only after it came to Prophet it became known by all; even the angels and jinns. This is possibly why the angels and jinns gather wherever the Qur’an is being recited to listen to it.

So part of Prophet’s (pboh) mission was to receive this great Book. And this is one of the reasons why he is a mercy to the worlds.

Through him all other creatures have access to the Words of Allah; whether they choose to read it or listen. Allah gave previous revelations but not in the context and layout as He has made the Qur’an. It is only when Prophet (pboh) came we gained true knowledge such as the beginning of the universe and the events surrounding the end.

So the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) marked a new era where all the creatures in the universe could become enlighten. And all the while he maintained the perfection and purity of the Qur’an.

Another factor that makes him a mercy to all worlds is the specific area that Allah sent him to; i.e. Makkah. We know that the Kaba is the center of the universe. And directly above the Kaba (in paradise) there situates Baitul-Mamur (The Frequented House); where angles also pray and perform tawaf. Thus the Kaba is like an axis where the universe spins around. And it is from the Holy Kaba that the Divine Mercy spreads throughout the universe. And Prophet (pboh) began his mission from this blessed land.

The beautiful poem entitled Falak Bola highlights the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). In it the sky and earth argues which of them is greater. After a few exchanges the earth won the argument by saying ‘I am greater because the Greatest creature that has ever been created is on me’.

Prophet Muhammad was sent as a mercy to all the worlds and his personality is such that even today he continuously receives blessing from Allah .

“Verily Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute Him with all respect.” (33:56)

Yusallunaa - is a verb in present / future tense. Therefore the blessings being sent are sent constantly and continuously. And he distributes these blessings to those who connect themselves to him via the institution of darood. If you are able to connect to him you will also be connecting to some measure of Divine Mercy.

May Allah makes us amongst those who would connect ourselves to His Habeeb (pboh) and may he enable us to understand the greatness of his personality and the mission that he still engages in today.

Testifying in the Oneness of God

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

There is no doubt that Allah made Prophet Muhammad (pboh) very special. One allusion to this is uniqueness of the mission that was given to him. And more importantly than that is the personality that Allah gave him.

There are many dimensions in his blessed personality and in his mission and, insha Allah they would all be discussed in a public lecture that will be delivered by Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed on the 4th March 2012 at 10:00am at the Markaz Campus.

When we say Ash-hadu it means ‘I bear witness’. How does one bear witness? It can only be done if you have sure knowledge. That is if you’ve seen or experienced that which is being testified to.

With this in mind how then can we truly testify to the statement Ash-hadu anla ilaha illallaah (I testify that there is no god but Allah). We cannot bear witness to this in the true sense of the word because we haven’t reached that stage of seeing or experiencing the Divinity of Allah. Rationally, we know that everything comes from a Creator. But bearing witness is more than that. This is where Prophet Muhammad (pboh) stands out. Allah says in the Qur’an;

There is no god but He: that is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, (3:18)

It is possible to testify with sure knowledge that there is no God but Allah because He can make Himself comprehensible to any creature that possesses the capacity. And the greatest of all capacities was contained by Prophet (pboh). This was evident on the night of the Mir’aj when he ascended further than any other creature.

So Prophet Muhammad (pboh) had first hand experience of the Divine Personality of Allah. And because he has this unique experience Allah gave him a special mission. What is this mission? Allah says;

‘O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and warner, - and as one who invites to Allah’s (grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading light’. (33:45-46)

This is really the mission of Prophet (pboh). We cannot comprehend the greatest of his blessed personality. Only a few of his Companions were able to comprehend his greatness.

The first thing Allah makes obvious in the ayat above is that Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is that creature who possessed the capacity to witness the Oneness of Allah . ‘O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a witness’. Allah sent him for that purpose.

We do not possess the capacity to verify the Oneness of Allah but Prophet (pboh) did. This is why for example when a Muadhin was calling the adhaan and he said the statement Ash-hadu anla ilaha illallaah another person told the Muadhin ‘you’re a liar because you have not truly witnessed this’. The Muadhin simple replied ‘while this is true my Messenger has witnessed this Divine Oneness of Allah and he was one who never told a lie, so I know for a fact that there is no God but Allah .

This is why in every sense of the word Prophet (pboh) was called Abdullah – the servant of Allah. His personality was so refined that he possessed the capacity to ascend in body and soul outside the dimensions of space and time and witness that which Allah wanted him to.

Being a witness is just one of special dimensions of his personality and insha Allah we would continue highlighting various aspects in the coming weeks leading up to the public lecture.

We pray to Allah to help us understand the true status of His Beloved (pboh) and may his blessed personality be a means of guidance and motivation for us all, insha Allah.

Utilizing your capacity

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

We have started a new year based on Gregorian calendar and I want to wish everyone a peaceful 2012. However, I invite each and everyone to be aware that another year has passed, and that they are now one year closer to their ends.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an;

‘By (the token of) time (through the ages). Verily man is in loss’. (103:1-2)

We need to understand that each individual has his/her own capacity. We vary in strength, size, aptitude and lifespan. It is imperative for us to utilize our capacity in the given life-span in order to earn a pleasant life in the hereafter.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said; “on the Day of Judgement, the deeds of man will be divided into two groups; that which was done for the world, and that which was done for the hereafter; it is only what was done for the Hereafter will be beneficial then".

With the passage of time, a lot of people waste their capacity, by utilizing it in things that won’t be of benefit for them in the long run. Allah gives each of us what He has allocated; what we need to do is to utilize these blessings in a smart and beneficial way. For example, if two persons were given a large some of money to utilize in any manner they wish; thhe first invests it in a business and the other uses it for purely entertainment purposes. Who do you think would benefit in the long run?

The wise ones will use their blessings to benefit them in this world and in the next. The lackadaisical will follow the creed eat, sleep and be merry. In relation to this Allah says;

‘What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will endure’. (16:96)

It is recorded in Surah Muddatstsir that the inhabitants of Paradise will question the inhabitants of hell as to what brought them to the hell fire;

“What led you into Hell Fire?” They will say: "We were not of those who prayed; nor were we of those who fed the indigent; but we used to talk vanities with vain talkers; and we used to deny the Day of Judgment,

Utilize the blessings that Allah gave you in a manner that will bring about benefit in both worlds, just as Prophet (saw) did. He spent his days working and taking care of his responsibilities and spent that night worshipping his Lord.

It’s not that Muslims should not enjoy themselves, but it is important for us to prioritize accordingly. Islam teaches us the middle course; we are not supposed to be extreme and or careless. Allah says in Surah Jumu'ah

and when the prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the bounty of Allah. and celebrate the praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.

So Allah encourages us to work for this world, however we should not give it priority as our stay here is only for a specified time. Place more emphasis on working for the eternal world that awaits the righteous.

You may not see the results here but on the Day of Judgement you’ll see all your life’s work and the end result that it has brought you.

Work for goodness in both worlds through the Grace and Mercy of Allah . And, as the year begins, seek forgiveness for the mistakes of the past year; and make a resolution not to repeat them in this New Year.

May He continuously guide us so that we may manage whatever He has given us in this world in a way that would give us ‘high return’ in the hereafter. May Allah take care of our affairs, insha Allah.

The importance of the heart

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Insha Allah this will be the first in a series of discourses focusing on the importance of the heart.

Firstly, we know that the body can function without some organs / limbs. For example if a person’s leg is amputated he can still lead a relatively normal life. However the same cannot be said of the heart. If a persons heart stops pumping then that persons will inevitably die. This is possibly why Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said ‘Verily there is in the body a piece of flesh; if it is good the whole body is good and if it corrupted the whole body is corrupted; Lo! It is the heart’.

In order to analyse the importance of the heart let us make reference to the following.

Physically; the heart is the most important organ.
For example if the brain is deprived of oxygen contained in the blood; one will immediately become unconscious. So physical; the heart is the most important organ in the body. Without it the body will decay.

The heart is the abode of faith.
If one has to have faith it must come from the heart. It cannot come from the tongue as it won’t mean anything. In relation to this Allah says in Surah Hujuraat;

‘The desert Arabs say, "We believe." say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, 'We have submitted Our wills to Allah,' for not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not be little aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (49:14)

These Bedouins were not hypocrites rather they declared faith and just left. They didn’t spend the time to learn about Islam. Allah gave them a warning because if you don’t have faith in the heart you can still act on the basis of emotion, temptation, etc.

Again Allah says in Surah Nahl;

“Anyone who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith - but such as open breast to unbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful”. (6:106)

Allah judges us on the basis of what is in our heart. Sometimes people are forced to do or say something against their natural way for example in the past a lot of indentured workers in Trinidad had to denounce Islam in order to acquire employment. However they still maintained belief in Allah in their hearts. As such Allah will judge on the basis of what is in the heart. So what is projected physically may be different to that which is in the heart.

In relation to this there is the Hadith Qudsi where Allah says ‘Allah doesn’t look at your physical appearance or wealth but looks at your heart and actions’.

The heart is the recipient of advice.
We’re all familiar with the saying “it passes through one ear and out the next”. If any advice is given to you and it doesn’t sink in your heart it will just be nothing more than words. As Allah says in Surah Anbiyaa;

“Never comes (aught) to them of a renewed Message from their Lord, but they listen to it as in jest,- their hearts toying as with trifles. The wrong-doers conceal their private counsels, (saying), "Is this (one) more than a man like yourselves? Will ye go to witchcraft with your eyes open?" (21:2-3)

When you are inclined to get closer to Allah you will ‘tune in’ your heat to goodly advice. You won’t ignore the inclination that your heart is feeling, as is recorded in Surah Nahl;

‘Your Allah is one Allah. As to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and They are arrogant’. (16:22)

The heart is the centre form where our intentions comes form.
We’re all aware of the popular hadith ‘actions are judged by intentions’. Our intentions are derived from the heart. This is why Satan whispers to mans heart; in anticipation that he can cause them to drift off Siratul Mustqeem.

‘(the same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind’. (114:5)

The heart is place where secrets are kept.
The heart is the organ that keeps secret. Allah says;

‘for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts’. (5:7)

Only Allah knows the condition of the heart. Some may appear to be to have the best of intentions but in reality they have some sort of hidden agenda. For example the hypocritical Jews at the time of Prophet Muhammad (saw); they openly declared their intention of abiding by the laws that were put in place in Madinah however they were secretly trying to undermine the Muslims.

We see therefore just a few reasons that make the heart a very important organ in our personality. Success in this life and the next depends largely on the condition of the heart. We need to continuously work on purifying it so that it will have a domino effect on the rest of our personality and afford us the privilege of being classed with the righteous.

May Allah grant us the understanding of the importance of the heart and the wisdom to purify it. May He save us from the whisperings of Satan and take care of our affairs in this world and the next.

Important principles

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

We would like to welcome back to all the Hujjaj from their special and holy trip and pray that Allah accepts all their efforts, insha Allah.


In the Adhaan and Iqamah we recite two important principles. They are;

1. Ash-hadu anla ilaha illallaah. (I testify that there is no god but Allah)
2. Ash-hasu anna Muhammadar Rasuulullaah. (I testify that Muhammad is Allah's messenger)

Firstly we know that there is no creator except Allah . We have been given this assurance from Prophet Muhammad (saw) who was known to never tell a lie. Even his enemies testified to his honesty.

The second testimony brings to our mind some important principles. Before the coming of Prophet Muhammad (saw), Allah sent Messengers to all the previous tribes and nations. And a series of these Messengers were sent to the Israelites’. The question arises of which one do you identify yourself with?

The coming of Prophet Muhammad (saw) put an end to this type of understanding because he is the Universal Messenger. He was sent to all tribes and nations; even those tribes and nations that were before his physical coming. He took what Allah gave to all the previous Messengers and perfected it. This is why we say that he is The Messenger. The embodiment of Prophet-hood is contained in him.

So whenever we say Ash-hasu anna Muhammadar Rasuulullaah we are testifying to the complete code that he brought with him.

With this perceptive on our beloved Prophet there is some sort of difficulty in understanding the hadith recorded in Abu Dawood; Every novelty (bid'ah) is an innovation, and every innovation is an error (which leads to the Fire). Today we see so many new things that were not present at the time of Prophet . Are these things innovations? No they are not.

What appears to be ‘new’ to us is in fact not; because if you look back in the Holy Book and the life of Prophet there would have been some kind of references about them.

For example the popular debate surrounding Maulood and Tazeem. Was it done at the time of Prophet (saw)? If you look back you will find situations where many of the blessed Companions recited poems in his praise. So if I recite a beautiful passage about him and call him by lovely names am I committing and innovation?

The question of innovation has to be really understood. Prophet (saw) is the physical be all and end all for all human beings because he has taught us how to benefit from nature, how to live a perfect moral life, how to prepare ourselves to return to Allah and about Allah Himself. He is The Messenger.

However today we have the argument: ‘if I follow Jesus (as) will I go to heaven or not’. Jesus spoke about the existence of One God. If then you follow his teachings you will have some hope of attaining paradise. But how can you be sure that which you are following are his teachings?

These uncertainties exist with the previous Messengers but Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) sunnah is well preserved for all to eternity. When he spoke about nature, for example, he may not have mentioned a specific issue; but would have identified the principle in his teaching.

If we see new things coming into the our life time and are of the view that Islam made no mention of it, it is out of our own ignorance about the Book and the Sunnah of Prophet (saw), for us to think like that, as mention would have been made in some verse of the Book about it.

These two simple principles can unite the whole world as one family. And it is best demonstrated in the Holy Land. We identify Allah and His House and Prophet Muhammad (saw) and His mosque. Two separate entities that form the focus of all our activities and beliefs. And even in our salaat we make mention of these two principles at the beginning and in the end when we recite the Tashahhud

May Allah strengthen our belief, knowledge and understanding in His Glorious Book and the ways of His Habeeb (saw). And as we enter the new Islamic year of 1433A.H may He make this year a prosperous, peaceful and fulfilling one. May He take care of our affairs throughout and continuously guide us, insha Allah.

Kul ’am wa antum bil khair antum bikhair

My this new year be good to you

Sending good for the morrow

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah says in Surah Hashr;

‘O ye who believe! fear Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) he has sent forth for the morrow; yea, fear Allah for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do’. (59:18)

This is a command from Allah to all believers. The first part of the ayat is usually translated to mean ‘fear Allah ’ but it also means for us to develop righteousness. The latter part advises us to take stock of what type of deeds we’re sending for the morrow i.e. the hereafter.

We are recommended to monitor our lives in such a way that we’ll know whether we are sending good or bad ahead. By adopting this practice one can know whether his/her abode will be Paradise or the hell fire. It all depends on:

1. Intention:- Am I trying to live for the sake of Allah
2. Allah’s Grace and Mercy: - If I’m living for His sake, insha Allah, He will overlook my shortcomings.

Our intention is the most important thing. Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said the all actions are judged on its intention. And Allah warns us against worshipping Him with ulterior motives;

‘Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men)’. (107:6)

Only what is done for the sake of Allah will remain with Him. If it’s done for the world it will go to the world.

In order to be certain that what we are sending is acceptable we need to keep three (3) things in mind;

1. Wisdom to differentiate that which is good from evil.
2. To keep close watch on our nafs (baser self). It is narrated that there was one Companion of Prophet Muhammad (saw) who had a special gift identifying the hypocrites of his time. Every day Hazrat Omar (ra) would go to him and ask was I a hypocrite today? Hazrat Omar (ra); someone who was guaranteed Paradise while he was still alive in this world use to visit this blessed Companion everyday. What about us who are not guaranteed?
3. Trying to know what is a blessing and what is a trial from Allah . Sometimes we may mistake a blessing from our Lord and utilize it in an unfortunate way. This is where knowledge becomes important.

One needs to be cautious and keep a constant look over the ego. It is good to be ambitious but be mindful because it can lead us down the wrong path as Allah says in Surah Zukhruf;

‘If anyone withdraws himself from the remembrance of (Allah) Most Gracious, We appoint for him an evil one, to be an intimate companion to him. Such (evil ones) really hinder them from the path, but they think that they are being guided aright!’ (43:36-37)

This is why we pray continuously ‘guide us on the straight path’.

It is only those with a pure and good intentions will go back to Allah . For example it is reported that a prostitute once found a dog that was extremely thirsty. She took her shoe and tied it to her scarf in order to retrieve water from a nearby well. Prophet (saw) narrates that Allah was so pleased with this action that He forgave the woman. In another narration a drunkard was walking the streets when he stumbled across some ayats of the Holy Qur’an lying on the ground. The drunkard took up the page and held it over his head out of reverence and it is reported that Allah forgave him out of the sincerity of his intention.

Always try to adopt two things throughout your life; increase the amount of good that you are sending before you and try to wipe out the blemishes from your Book. It is a simple recipe but it as an everlasting effect.

Keep in mind that there is morrow and all our thoughts and actions will be brought before us. Make sure that when you are presented with your book of deeds it will be one that you will be proud of, insha Allah. May Allah protect us and guide us and may He enable us to send plentiful good ahead of us so that our meeting with our Lord will be a pleasant and beautiful one.

Three ingredients for a successful life

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah made the human family as one people; from the very beginning of creation. And with this came common beliefs and practices throughout the ages. These beliefs and practices were given to each nation via the Messengers of Allah . Allah says in Surah Anbiyaa;

“and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only)”. (21:73)

No human being was exempted from these beliefs and practices. Each Messenger taught total submission to Allah ; and that we are all going back to Him; and in order to successfully meet Him one has to practice that which has been commanded.

And through these practices the bond among mankind is continuously strengthened. For example in the institution of Salaat we meet and interact with our follow brothers and sisters. In the institution of charity we assist and look after those who are in need. So the beliefs and practices that Allah has ordered us to follow reinforces the union amongst mankind.

In this particular Surah, Surah Anbiyaa, Allah mentions the life of many Messengers; and one thing that resonates in each one of them is, that they had complete faith in their Lord. They would also put their problems to Him and beg for His interventions and assistance and He responded to them all. For example, when Prophet Lot (as) complained to Allah that the people of Sodom would not change and they should be destroyed Allah sent upon the disbelievers a terrible punishment.

Why make mention of this? As Muslims we do not feel that we are better than others. We do not walk around announcing that we’re the ‘saved and chosen ones’. We adhere to the principles that we are commanded to follow and in so doing, join with all those who came before. As Allah says;

“Verily, this nation of yours is one nation, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: Therefore serve me (and no other)”. (21:92)

Islam has, in addition to these institutions that make us feel like one family, three additional ‘ingredients’ that will make life pleasant for all. Allah records them in Surah Balad;

“one of those who believed, and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion”. (90:17)

Help one another to

1. find out the truth,
2. to preserve in life with patience and
3. to show compassion to others.

If these practices are upheld there will be certain elements in society that will contradict with us. For example those who have a materialistic and selfish outlooks on life will not be open to these three components as it is not in accordance with their desires. And as Allah says

But (later generations) cut off their affair (of unity), one from another: (yet) will They all return to us. (21:93)

On the contray, if we apply these three ingredients to our daily lives society as a whole will change for the better. And this type of behaviour will have a direct relation to the attitude of the future generations.

May Allah grant us the ability of inculcating these principles in our daily lives and may He strengthen the unity among the followers if His Deen.

Following the way of Abraham

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah instructs us to follow the Sunnah of Hazrat Abraham (as). This doesn’t mean that Prophet Muhammad (saw) didn’t perfect his Sunnah while he was here. It is as though Abraham’s way was a tree and Prophet Muhammad was that one that pruned it; nurtured it and made it fruitful and beautiful.

Allah says in Surah Nahl;

‘So We have taught thee the inspired (Message), follow the ways of Abraham the true in faith, and he joined not gods with Allah’. (16:123)

Allah out of His Wisdom connected Islam with Abraham.

Again He says in Surah An'am

‘Say: "Verily, My Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight- a Religion of right- the path (trod) by Abraham the true In Faith, and He (certainly) joined not gods with Allah’.

What is the reason for adhering to the ways of Father Abraham? In order to fully explain this let us look at some of those things that made him special and blessed;

• Abraham was neither a Jew nor Christian. Both of these religions started with the advent of his son Isaac.
• He is to this day recognised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam as a righteous person. For example in Luke 16:22 it says ‘Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom’.
• Abraham never joined Gods with Allah . History shows where he destroyed idols on more than one occasion in an attempt to show his people that their idols were just mere carvings on stones.
• He never had a Sabbath day.
• He recognised that everything he had was a gift from Allah
• He recognised that the Kaba is the Qibla (direction of worship). When he left his wife and newborn in the barren desert he prayed ‘"O Our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy sacred House; in order, O Our Lord, that they may establish regular prayer’.
• He is considered the Father of the now known revealed religions.
• He was not sent to a particular people or nation. In fact wherever he traversed he gave the message of the monotheistic way.
• He invited mankind to believe in only One God.
• He united mankind as ‘one family’. For example his first wife was Sarah who was from amongst his people and thereafter he got married to Hajar who was not from amongst them; (uniting two separate tribes).
• He physically demonstrated that idols cannot be ‘gods’. For example his father gave him one of the idols he made to clean by the river, instead young Abraham threw it into the water and said if it is God let it save itself.

All of these and more made Abraham such a blessed personality. So much so that even today he is still greatly remembered, especially around this time when millions make their way to Makkah to rehearse some of the activities that Abraham and his family engaged in so many centuries ago.

And even those who are not on route to perform the Hajj, they still remember Father Abraham when they engage in the sacrifice on Eid ul Adha.

Prophet (saw) refined all of this through his blessed personality and left it as a guide for us all. And Allah commands us to go back to this, establish it and strengthen Abraham’s Sunnah. And insha Allah, if we adhere to it, we will be amongst those who will be considered righteous.

In direct relation to this one sensible argument that Maulana Dr. Waffie has employed in the past while conversing with Christians is the following;

Dr. Waffie asked the following questions & The Christian replied

1. Was Abraham a righteous person? (Yes)
2. Will he go to heaven because of his righteousness? (Yes)
3. If I follow Abraham’s teachings will I be considered righteous? (Yes)
4. Then it’s safe to say that I would also be blessed to go to heaven? (Yes)
5. Therefore if by following Abraham’s teaching will guarantee me entrance to heaven why do I have to follow Jesus (as) (????)

May Allah bless us with the ability of establishing and strengthening the Sunnah of Hazrat Abraham (as), and may we be steadfast upon it. May He forgive us, have mercy on us and take care of our affairs in this world and the next.

Hablullah - Issue #7

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

The latest issue of Hablullah - The Quarterly newsletter of the Markaz al Ihsaan.

(Click on the page to enlarge & save)



Front




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The Best of Planners

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah says in His Holy Words;

‘They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.’

Unfortunately, some people translate it to mean; ‘they scheme and Allah schemes and Allah is the best of schemers’. This is not proper to say as Allah is not a “schemer”.

Man puts forward a plan and Allah also plans, and His plan will always be the best as He says that He is The Best of Planners. We see this occurring time and again in history. In order to expound on this we reference two examples.

Firstly, whether it is true or not according to the bible Sarah didn’t want the son of Hajar to share in the inheritance of Hazrat Abraham (as) material acquisitions. She said ‘the son of a slave cannot inherit with my son’. But look at what Allah did, He sent Hajar and Ishma’il in the wilderness, out of the dimension of Abraham’s property. Based on the accounts in the bible Sarah’s concern was wealth and property (Allah knows best if this is true or not). So while she was left preoccupied with this concern Hajar and Ishma’il were blossoming and developing with a greater purpose. Allah says of Prophet Ishma’il (as) that he was Haleem (someone willing to forbear with patience).

Look at Allah’s plan. He guided Abraham to leave Hajar and Ishma’il near to the foundation of the Holy Kabaa and a few years later both father and son re-constructed the Holy House of Allah . Allah wanted to preserve the willingness of submission of this blessed family so He created the institution of Hajj which is the re-enacting of some rituals associated Abraham, Hajar and Ishma’il. To this very day millions perform these rituals every year. And look at the condition of the Israelites, there are still obsessed with material acquisitions as they are still fighting of land.

From a very despondent situation Hajar and Ishma’il were in fact fulfilling this great plan of Allah , which at the time would have seem farfetched using reason and logic.

The other example which demonstrates the Wisdom of Allah’s is the story of Prophet Joseph (as). Throughout his life he was faced with hardships and the unfortunate schemes of the people around him but look at the plan Allah had in store for him. And all the difficulties and hardships that people dealt him had wisdom in it as Allah’s plan was slowly being materialised.

Why make mention of this? Understand that when you put your faith and trust in your Lord He will take care of your affairs. He says in Surah Baqarah;

‘Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is Our return". They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance’. (156-157)

Whosoever puts their faith and trust in Allah , He will send blessings upon them and continuously guide them.

A beautiful example of this is when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) received salutations from Allah .

The Holy Prophet Muhammad requested contributions for an expedition, and the Muslims gave whatever they could give, but Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) exceeded all by giving all that he had without leaving anything for his own family. He even included the clothing he was wearing. Thereafter he appeared in front of the Holy Prophet wearing a sack held together by date thorns. When the Prophet asked him what he had left for his family, he replied, “Allah and His Messenger are enough for them.” When Allah saw this expression of love of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) He ordered Jibraeel to wear a sack held together by thorns and to go to the Holy Prophet and say, ‘Allah has sent salutations (salaam) to Abu Bakr via your Holy Personality and asks if he has at least left food at his home and if he is pleased with Allah ’. When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) heard this he went into a state of ecstasy, began whirling and began crying out repeatedly, ‘I am pleased with my Lord!’ This story which is narrated by Ibn Asakir (ra) is recorded in both Tirmidhi and Abu Daud.

Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), one of the wealthiest persons gave everything for Allah’s sake and pleasure and when he was left with nothing Allah sent salutations to him.

Those who put their affairs in Allah’s Hands, He will help them to plan properly. No one is as Wise and Knowledgeable as Him. It is only a question of faith and desire to get close to Him. People can do what they want but if you have Allah and His Rasul what else do you need.

There are so many things in this world that can bring about emotional unrest but if you have sincere faith in Allah He will send a way out for you as He says in His Holy Words. And what appeared to be hardship and difficulty may turn into something favourable.

We beg Allah to make us from amongst those who will put out faith and trust in His Hands and may He make us accept His plan and take care of our affairs in both worlds.

Hasten to ask for forgiveness

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

When Allah appointed Hazrat Adam (as) as Khalifa and made his abode the Garden, He gave him one instruction which was to enjoy everything that was there except a particular tree. Unfortunately for Adam (as) Satan had access to the Garden and he wanted to diminish Adam’s status. So the first thing he did was to create some sort of mischief by tempting and enticing Adam and Eve ever so often to eat from the tree and thereafter when they forgot the command they suffered the consequences.

Keep in mind at all times what Allah says in Surah Yaseen;

“Did I not enjoin on you, O ye Children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he is to you an enemy avowed?” (36:60)

Allah can do anything. If He wanted He didn’t have to create Satan, or allowed the situation in the Garden to take place; or simply put Adam (as) on earth after his creation. This is not impossible for Him, as He is All Powerful. But there is wisdom in everything Allah does.

Two things occurred when Adam (as) ate from the ‘unapproachable tree’. Firstly, he disobeyed a command from Allah; and he also brought hardship and difficulty upon himself. Look at his life in the Garden and his life on earth. In the Garden he didn’t have to do anything except follow one command. On earth he had to work and toil for his livelihood and sustenance, etc.

Allah speaks about the dhalimeen – the transgressors’ in many places in the Qur’an. A few of them are;

• ‘Allah loveth not the transgressors’. (3:57)
• ‘Allah guides not the transgressors’. (3:86)
• ‘Thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of the transgressors.’ (5:29)
• ‘and those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.’ (49:11)
• ‘The transgressors will have no Protector or helper’. (42:8)

We see from these ayats the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the transgressors. And the reason for making mention of all of this is for one very important principle.

We know Satan is our enemy and that we must, at all times follow the commandments of Allah . But sometimes we succumb to our weaknesses, knowingly or unknowingly. We are human beings and are sometimes prone to errors and shortfalls. So we will falter at some point in time; but when we do; we should repent to Allah immediately.

Sometimes we may think that we are doing good through our ignorance; but in reality we may be transgressing against the don’ts that Allah has commanded. So at all times we must repent and beg for forgiveness for the wrong that we commit knowingly and unknowingly. Only Allah is All Knowing. We can’t say for certain that every single thing we did in a day was purely good. Only Allah knows.

This is possibly why the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said: “By Allah, I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.” (Bukhari)

And this blessed personality was completely sinless and yet he repented so many times for one day. What about us?

Repent and beg Allah as much as you can before it’s too late. Just as the stick of a match grain is useless after the flame has been out so too is our bodies when the soul departs. So while we have our total personality intact use it to get closer and amongst the favourable ones of Allah. Prepare yourself to meet Him.

May Allah save us from being counted amongst the transgressors and may He give us the ability to repent to Him as much as possible so that we would be amongst the fortunate ones on that Day.

Everlasting Pleasure

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Naturally, we would all like only the good of this world. Financially, emotionally, socially; we would all prefer a comfortable life, as opposed to one that contains hardships and trials.

In reality however, we all know that the joys of this life are constantly fluctuating. Sometimes we experience great joy and at other times we experience sorrow and difficulties. Remember nothing is constant, except the Word of Allah. In informing us about this Allah says;

“Allah doth enlarge, or grant by (strict) measure, the sustenance (which He giveth) to whomso He pleaseth. (the wordly) rejoice in the life of This world: but the life of This world is but little comfort in the Hereafter”. (13:26)

Everything is from Allah. He gives to whomsoever He wants; and vice versa. However, when measured against the pleasures and comforts of the Hereafter; all the material joys and happiness are rendered incomparable.

Look back at different moments in your life. There were times that you experienced good and there were also times that you had a bit more challenges to face. This is how life is in this material world.

The Holy Qur’an uses two words to describe pleasure and happiness. These are Farh and Suroor. Farh denotes to happiness for a period of time. This means that the state of happiness or pleasure will inevitably come to an end. Suroor on the other hand, denotes to the ‘all embracing joy’. In this state a person will have absolutely no question of regret and emotional unrest. The state of suroor cannot be attained in this material world however, but only in the Hereafter.

The material pleasures and comfort that many people run after are mixed with sorrow, sadness and anxiety. In relation to this our blessed leader, Prophet Muhammad (saw), is reported to have said;

‘The life of the present world compared to the Hereafter is just like when one of you inserts his finger into the ocean, so let him contemplate of how much he will be carrying with him”.

If you dip your finger in the sea how much water will remain on the finger? just a mere drop or two. So Prophet (saw) is informing us that the pleasures and joys of the Hereafter are like the vastness of the ocean and the joy of this material world is just a few drops in comparison. Unfortunately, we see some who would prefer to sacrifice the ocean for a few drops on their fingers.

In another narration it is reported that Prophet Muhammad (saw) was passing by the wayside and saw a shepherd discarding a dead sheep. Upon seeing this Prophet (saw) said ‘the life of this present world is as insignificant to Allah as the dead sheep is to the shepherd’.

Don’t give the joy and comforts of this word too much importance. Yes we need it; as it would make life a bit more comfortable; but utilize the blessing and bounties from Allah to get much more in the Hereafter. Sometimes you may lose your focus, but this is human nature. Beg for forgiveness and continue persevering.

From this short lesson we can conclude that:

1. It is wrong to judge someone based on their material acquisitions’. Remember that it is Allah Who gives and withholds.
2. It is wrong to excessively rejoice on the basis of material success. Be thankful to Allah for favouring you but do not make it your goal and be all and end all.
3. It is wrong to sacrifice the pleasures of the Hereafter (Suroor) for a little material pleasure in this world (Farh).
4. It is wrong to believe that material acquisitions’ are as a result of your doing and not that blessing and bounties from Allah .

Everything we have and will ever have, is from the Grace and Mercy of our Lord, so be thankful and humble. This is why, believers live in fear and hope. Fearing that Allah can take us to task for our weaknesses; and hoping for His Mercy, Forgiveness and Blessings.

Be mindful of this and always remember that the material happiness is but for a short time and insignificant when compared to what Allah has prepared for His believing servants in the Hereafter.

To this end we should all try to learn these two duas (shown below) as it encompasses our reliance and faith in our Lord.


Dua to be recited in the morning

Asbahnaa wa asbahal mulku lillaahi rabbil Aalameen. Allahumma innii as aluka khaira haazal yawm fath hahu wa nasrahu wa nuurahu wa barakatahu. Wa auuzubika min sharri maa fiihi wa sharri maa ba'dahu

The morning has come to me and the whole universe belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, O Allah, I ask of you the good of the day, it's success and aid and it's nur (celestial light) and barakaat (blessings) and seek hidayah (guidance) and seek refuge from the evil in it (this day) and from the evil of that which is to come later.


Dua to be recited in the evening

Amsainaa wa amsal mulku lillaahi rabbil Aalameen. Allahumma innii as aluka khaira haazihil lailata fath hahaa wa nasrahaa wa nuurahaa wa barakatahaa wa hudaahaa. Wa auuzubika min sharri maa fiihaa wa sharri maa ba'adahaa

The evening has come to me and the whole universe belongs to Allah who is the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask of you the good of the night, it's success and aid and its nur (celestial light) and barakaat (blessings) and seek hidayat (guidance) and refuge from the evil of this night and the evil that is to come later.

The Sunnah of Abraham (as)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Reliance on Allah is something that is easier said that done. We always hear people quoting the Hadith "trust in Allah but tie your camel”. What they usually mean when they say this is to put your trust in Allah but first see if there’s anything that you can do to help yourself. The Sufis’ say that whoever puts their trust in Allah, has tied his camel.

In order to understand the importance of tawakkul (total reliance on Allah ) we must reference the source of the beginning of Islam. The real beginning of Islam started with Prophet Abraham (as). Yes all the previous Messengers and their followers were believers but Prophet Abraham (as) resurrected the focus and direction towards the Kaba. He prayed for the monotheistic theology to spread through his son Ishmael.

Perhaps this is one reason why Allah says to us about Prophet Abraham the following:

Abraham was indeed a model, devoutly obedient to Allah……So We have taught the inspired message: Follow the ways of Abraham; the true in Faith. (16:120-123)

What was the lesson that Abraham (as) left for us? He knew and demonstrated how to rely only on Allah . Firstly, when he was a little boy and he destroyed the idols of his people they gave him an ultimatum; either repent and worship their ‘gods’ or be killed. This young boy opted to be killed by being thrown into the fire they kindled for that purpose.

If you put your faith in Allah He will take care of your affairs. During his life Prophet Abraham (as) acquired a lot of wealth. He had thousands of livestock and acres upon acres of land. So much so that even today the Jews are still trying to reclaim the land they believe he was given. In spite of being the possessor of so much wealth, he gave his wife, Hagar some water and a little food and left her and his newborn son, whom he loved so much, in the wilderness where there was not even a blade of grass growing.

After he prayed for a son for so long, in his old age he finally got Ishmael (as). So much faith and trust he had in His Lord that he knew Allah would take care of them even in this barren land. And while he was departing he prayed as follows:

"O Our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O Our Lord, that they may establish regular prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks”

He recognized what he was doing. He was sure that Allah was going to answer his supplication; and just as how Allah fed Moses and his people when they crossed the sea, and how he fed Mary and her son Jesus, He (Allah) would take care of all the needs of Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Allah accepted the supplication of Abraham (as) and the barren valley in which they were put soon became a place filled with the best of waters on the earth, and the hub for worship, etc. He truly demonstrated trust and faith in his Lord.

Abraham demonstrated that when one puts trust and reliance on Allah, He (Allah) takes care of that person's affairs.

Allah says in Surah Ath Thalaaq;

“and He (Allah) provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts His trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for Him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion”. (65:3)

Allah will never let you down. That is guaranteed. We cannot say how or when we can solve our problems and difficulties. Allah’s knowledge is far greater than ours and He knows what is best for us. Allah preserved the life of Abraham (as) for us to learn and put into practice. We are even commanded to adhere to Abraham’s (as) sunnah; and one of his sunnah was to display wholeheartedly complete faith and trust His Lord.

“Then We revealed to you, (O Muhammad), to follow the way of Abraham,” (16:123)

If Allah doesn’t want you to ‘tie your camel’ you will never be able to. Understand everything comes from Him. He knows why He allows things to happen and withholds things from taking place. What we have to do is to build up our faith so that we will have total reliance in our Lord, just as Prophet Abraham (as) did.

May Allah make us from amongst those who have true tawakkul in Him and may He take care of our affairs in all worlds.